Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church

Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church was established in 1912 in Severna Park, Maryland. With more than 1,500-1,800 members,[1] it is the largest congregation in the Baltimore Presbytery, and among the largest 1.02% of Presbyterian churches in the United States.

Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church
39°4′18″N 76°32′41″W
Location611 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd
Severna Park, Maryland 21146
CountryUnited States
DenominationPresbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Membership2,250
Websitewww.woodschurch.org
History
Former name(s)Severna Park Presbyterian Church
FoundedJune 23, 1912
Founder(s)Frank Churchill Woods
Administration
SynodSynod of the Mid-Atlantic
PresbyteryBaltimore
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Rev. Randall Bush
Pastor(s)Rev. Nancy Lincoln-Reynolds
Laity
Director of musicDavid Merrill (Music and Arts)

History

Woods Church was founded by eight organizing members in 1912. The pastor served the first six months without pay. The first church services were held in the local public elementary school. The first church building was financed with the help of a grant from the Baltimore Presbytery and a loan from the General Assembly through their new church development agencies. It was twenty-five years before the church reached a membership of about 150.[1]

Church building

Woods is built on a 4 acre campus and hosts a church building and pre-school.[2] The church also hosts an art gallery which shows work from local and national artists.[3]

Woods is a Presbyterian Church (USA) Earth Care Congregation. In 2021, they were one of the five winners of the national Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) Cool Congregations Challenge.[4]

Global outreach

Meadowbrook Church in Jamaica
Meadowbrook United Church in Jamaica

One of the church's most significant outreach activities has been its relationship with the Meadowbrook United Church of Kingston, Jamaica. This relationship began in 1984 and church members took part in mission visits in 1985 and 1986. In 1986, Raymond Coke, the minister of Meadowbrook Church, proposed that the two churches develop a joint mission relationship after a visit to Woods. This led to an exchange of pulpits for a month in 1987. After further visits by members of both congregations, agreements were reached on Woods' support of education and dental programs run by Meadowbrook.

Woods maintains this relationship with Meadowbrook as its sister church.[5]

References
  1. "Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church". www.woodschurch.org. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  2. ‘’Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake’’ website
  3. Severna Park Voice website (Art and Architecture)
  4. Severna Park Voice website (Sustainability)
  5. Meadowbrook United Church of Kingston website
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